A Star Wars fans since he saw the first film in 1977, Andy Mangels was thrilled to become part of the licensed Star Wars mileau in 1994 with an article for Topps' first issue of Star Wars Galaxy. This article led to a contract for his first book, Star Wars: The Essential Guide To Characters. Following that book, Andy became the licensing writer of choice, working on dozens of licensed products. He also produced the much-feted Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction, a comic that was overwhelmingly voted as "The Best Individual Star Wars Comic" in a magazine poll of 200,000 fans!

Although he last worked in the Star Wars in 1998, Andy is still popular with fans of the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. In 2011 he was presented with a membership in the Mandalorian Mercs, one of the largest Star Wars fan and costuming organizations. With many fans calling for his return to Star Wars, Andy looks forward to one day returning to a galaxy far, far away...

• Star Wars Finest 1: Chromium Trading Cards(May 1996, Topps. Andy wrote the text and helped design the 90-card trading card set exploring characters of the galaxy. Available in two versions: silver-tone and gold-tone.

• Don Post Studios(1996-1998, Don Post Studios. Andy did complete layout and wrote all text for three eigh-page catalogues of Star Wars masks and props.

• Illusive Originals(1996-1997, Illusive Originals. Andy wrote the text for certificates of authenticity for figural maquettes and sculptures (Chewbacca, Jabba the Hutt, Han Solo in Carbonite).

• Applause(1996-1997, Applause. Andy wrote the text for boxes and hang-tags on vinyl figures, PVCs, statuettes, collector's editions, etc. Also wrote text for tri-fold brochure for back of Ralph McQuarrie art prints, and text for four-page advertising sheets for same prints.

• West End Games(1995-1998, West End Games. Andy was a consultant for the Star Wars: The Role-Playing Game, and was commissioned to write a short-story prose prequel to "Twin Engines of Destruction" but the company went bankrupt before publication.

THE GALLANDRO CONNECTION

In 1979, author Brian Daley introduced a western outlaw-style gunslinger opponent for Han Solo in his novel Han Solo's Revenge. The character later appeared in Han Solo and the Lost Legacy, where he was killed in a shoot-out with Solo. His backstory was expanded upon in West End Games role-playing game material and in The Essential Guide To Characters, and his daughter appeared in later novels.

In 1995, while working on the Star Wars Finest trading card set for Topps -- all cards for which were fully painted -- it became clear that a model for Gallandro was needed. Because Gallandro's most prominent feature was a large moustache -- something shared with writer Andy Mangels -- the editors and Lucasfilm agreed that Mangels should become the model for Gallandro as a nod.

Mangels suited up in an outfit that resembled Michael Butkus' illustration of Gallandro from The Essential Guide To Characters and posed for a series of photos. The resulting Star Wars Finest card (#51) was painted by Lou Harrison and Daerick Gross, and clearly resembles Mangels. Additionally, Gallandro was painted by Jason Palmer for the back of a Bounty Hunters poster that appeared in Star Wars Galaxy #6. A few years later, a fan created a custom action figure of Gallandro for Mangels, which sits above his desk in his office. [See pictures on bottom of first right-hand column]

THE BOBA FETT CONNECTION

Boba Fett was the favorite character of Andy Mangels since his first appearance on the Star Wars Holiday Special and shortly thereafter, as a Kenner action figure. When Andy found out that Topps was going to publish Star Wars Galaxy magazine, he asked his editor at Topps if there was any way he could do something for it. "Do you know anything about Boba Fett? the editor asked. "I know everything about him," Mangels answered, and shortly thereafter, a deal was made for him to write "Boba Fett: Mystery Man In Not-So-Shining Armor" for the debut issue of the magazine.

After he turned the article in, Mangels got a call from his Topps editor, who told him that Lucasfilm has been so impressed with the article that the head of licensed publishing, Lucy Autrey Wilson, wanted to chat with him. After a 45-minute talk with Wilson on the phone -- wherein she related they had been looking for someone to do just what he'd done for Boba Fett for the whole Star Wars character lineup -- Mangels got his first book contract, to write The Essential Guide To Characters.

In July 1998, as a celebration of his Star Wars success, and representing what Boba Fett meant to him, Mangels got his first tattoo: the red Mandalorian skull symbol from Fett's shoulder pauldron. The tattoo, done by Jacki Randall of Sea Tramp Tattoo in Portland, is in all red, and is on Andy's left shoulder, in the same spot the armor would be.

Mangels wrote further articles on Boba Fett for other magazines, as well as the much-feted Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction, a comic that was overwhelmingly voted as "The Best Individual Star Wars Comic" in a magazine poll of 200,000 fans! He also wrote text for Fett collectibles, including a Kenner action figure, the Slave 1 toy, some statuettes and toys, and material for the life-size Boba Fett replica produced by Don Post Studios. One of the few produced Boba Fett replicas has resided in Mangels' living room since 1998.

In 2011, in recognition of his work on Star Wars and specifically on Boba Fett, Mangels was presented with a membership in the Mandalorian Mercs, one of the largest Star Wars fan and costuming organizations. The presentation took place at the Portland Comic Book Show on November 13, 2011, where Mangels received a plaque, and signed autographs, did sketches, and posed for pictures with members of the Seron Clan and Cer'Kushi Clan of the Mandalorian Mercs... including a stunning Jodo Kast, the co-star of Boba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction.

INTERVIEWS

• Read an interview with Andy Mangels about Star Wars on theForce.net!

• Read a December 1995 interview with Andy Mangels about Star Wars on Echo Station!

• Read a June 2007 interview with Andy Mangels that includes info about Star Wars on The Digital Bits!

• Click thumbnails to the left for Star Wars-related photos of Andy Mangels through the years, including:

• in 2011 with Mandalorian Mercs - Seron Clan and Cer'Kushi Clan on Nov 13th!
• in 1990s with his Han Solo in Carbonite and Boba Fett lifesize statues!
• in 1988 getting a Mandalorian tattoo!
• in 1986 with Star Wars stars Peter Mayhew, Dave Prowse, Jeremy Bulloch, and Kenny Baker!
• in 1985 with Star Wars star Mark Hammill!
• in 1985 at signings for The Essential Guide To Characters!
• in 1985 with a Boba Fett 29th birthday cake!
• in 1983 (at 16) dressed for Halloween as Luke Skywalker at a college dance (yes, he started college at 16)!
• in 1981 (at 14) dressed for Halloween as Luke Skywalker!
• in 1978 (at 11) with Darth Vader at a signing for The Art of Star Wars!